Backyard clotheslines may appear out of date and are even prohibited in certain neighbourhoods as eyesores. Even if hanging every load of laundry outside to dry may seem to be quite an effort, there are several advantages to line-drying. Drying clothing and household linens on a clothesline saves electricity, extends the life of your clothes, and is a wonderful workout for your waistline.
A few years ago, by-laws used to prohibit this type of air drying since it was deemed improper and unseemly to have your garments, on display for your neighbours to see. Fortunately, updated regulations have eased this situation, as the government acknowledged the environmental and cost benefits of drying clothes in the sun rather than using a dryer.
A mounted clothesline is one that is attached to a wall or fence. In most circumstances, mounting the clothesline to a wall is much better. It can be fixed in situ or retractable, meaning it can be drawn out as needed. Fixed-mount clotheslines may be permanently put always out or folded, allowing you to raise and lower the clothesline as needed. When not in use, retractable clotheslines fold back into their cassette, however, they do require a wall on each side to be used.
Folding Wall Mounted Clothesline
The benefit of getting a wall mounted clothesline over any other type is that they are far less noticeable. That is due to the fact, when not in use, they can be folded away and hidden, and in most circumstances, you’d never know that they’re actually there. Unobtrusive clotheslines are becoming increasingly popular as house sizes increase and backyards shrink, as they save important outdoor space.
Many people believe that mounted clotheslines have limited hanging space, however, this is certainly not the case. Mounted clotheslines are available in a wide range of sizes to accommodate everyone, from single-person households to large families. With four different colours to choose from and sizes ranging from 7 lines, 11 lines, 13 lines, and more, the wall attached washing line is the optimal solution to meet your family’s laundry needs.
When not in use, folding clotheslines can be tucked up against a wall, featuring a simple folding motion that allows you to open them up to hang your clothing and fold them down when necessary. They’re ideal for small yards, courtyards, garages, or as an inside clothesline in your laundry room.
Clotheslines that fold are ideally fixed on brick walls. They may be clad into wood-frame walls, however mounting brackets must be screwed into the studs. If you want to put this clothesline in a location that does not have a wall, ground-mounted clotheslines are available to purchase as well.
Folding Ground Mounted Clothesline
Ground-mounted clotheslines are similar to the wall attached washing line option, except they are supported by two steel posts that are concreted into the ground. These are a good choice for placing in the backyard close to a fence or if your house is not appropriate for a wall installation.
Standalone Rotary Clothesline
Folding rotary clotheslines are an excellent choice for little yards that are frequently used for children’s play and entertainment. When it’s windy, your laundry will flap in the breeze as the clothesline spins! The rotating clothesline’s arms will fold down, and the entire pole and head may be removed from a ground socket. The earth socket is an indestructible fixture in the ground. When more area is required for a game of backyard cricket, this is a great solution.
Retracting Clothesline
Clotheslines that retract are the ideal space-saving drying option. When not in use, the relatively compact cabinet lies quietly on the wall or post, yet offers a substantial drying space that easily supports all sheet sizes when extended. Every line is individually tensioned using German-made springs, providing consistently taut lines throughout time. Retractable clotheslines allow you to extend the clothesline whenever it is needed. Because it takes up little room, this style is ideal for both indoor and outdoor drying. And the best part about is when you’re done drying, you can just retract the line to free up the space in your home. A retractable clothesline is ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of extra room in their home. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to place a towel beneath the clothesline to catch any water that drips from your garments.
How to Properly Hang Laundry on a Clothesline
To decrease wrinkles and cut ironing time, give each garment a good shake before hanging on an indoor or outdoor clothesline, then once fastened to the line, give the bottom corners a good tug to draw out extra creases. Folding dry clothes as you remove them from the clothesline is the most effective approach to prevent creases. If they’ve been jammed inside a washing basket for several hours you’ll need to use the iron. If you absolutely hate the stiffness of line-dried towels and jeans, tumble them briefly in the clothes dryer, then line-dry them the rest of the way.
Place your clothesline in a breezy shaded spot to avoid fading from the sun. Another advantage of using outdoor clotheslines is that natural sun rays may help erase stains from white clothing while also killing any bacteria or dust mites that may be present. So if you want to use the sun to brighten your white laundry, run your line north/south to receive the most sunshine exposure. If you have four or more lines, hang the white objects that require the greatest bleaching on the outside lines. Interior lines can be used to hang coloured clothing.
And for the sake of the clothe’s materials, there are some items you should avoid lining up on the clothesline. Line drying is not recommended for stretchy clothing such as sweaters and other unstructured knit garments. If the manufacturer’s care label directs you to dry the clothing flat, do not hang it indoors or outside. Line drying is not recommended for delicate textiles such as lace, which can become snagged if whipped by a strong wind. Vintage textiles with rips or tears, as well as those that are exceptionally heavy while wet, should not be line dried. The weight of the wet fabric may aggravate tears.
